Evaluation activities for Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community are conducted by the Kensington Research Group. The evaluation is organized around two main criteria for measuring success:

1) how well the program achieves its objectives, and
2) the extent to which individual participants make positive changes in knowledge of science concepts related to disease processes and the functioning of the human body, scientific investigation skills, knowledge of how to recognize disorders such as asthma and sickle cell disease, self-reported health behaviors, and attitudes toward taking science courses and pursuing health and biomedical science careers.

Elements of the evaluation include front-end, formative, and summative activities. The front-end evaluation is conducted via student focus groups and is a gauge of students’ knowledge of health and biomedical science concepts. Front-end evaluation data are used to refine the curriculum units, exhibit, and field trip as they are developed.

The formative evaluation is conducted via student, parent, teacher, and presenter reflection forms; Evaluator observations; student focus groups; and ongoing conversations between the Curriculum Designer and classroom teachers. Formative evaluation data are used to improve the curriculum units, the teacher workshops, the exhibit, and the family festival as they are implemented. Formative evaluation data are also used to gauge participant satisfaction with p roject activities.

Summative evaluation activities will demonstrate whether, how, and to what degree project activities have affected the participants. To assess the impact of the curriculum, a comparison group demographically matched to the experimental group will be identified by the OUSD. Tests such as ANOVA and Chi Square will be used to determine whether statistically significant changes in knowledge and behavior have taken place in the comparison and experimental groups. Other quantitative measures used in the summative evaluation include pre/posttests for each curriculum unit, pre/post administration of the modified Attitudes Toward Science Inventory (ATSI), and pre/post surveys assessing content knowledge and behavioral changes resulting from the field trip and the exhibit.

KRG Profile
The Kensington Research Group is a professional services firm providing grant-writing, program design, project management, and evaluation services to school districts and community-based organizations pursuing clear social goals. The majority of projects aim to fill the needs of disadvantaged children and families in underserved regions of California. Through individual and collective expertise, KRG specializes in bringing crucial resources to organizations working in a variety of education and social service arenas.